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en10 Things the Queen of England Still Does for Canadahttp://mentalfloss.com/article/53036/10-things-queen-england-still-does-canada
<div class="field-group-format group_meta field-group-div group-meta speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-enhanced-authors field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/authors/kathleen-elise">Kathleen Elise</a></div></div></div><div class="field-group-format group_categories field-group-div group-categories categories speed-none effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-category-url field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">filed under: <a href="/section/canada-day" class="author-writes-about-link">Canada Day</a>, <a href="/section/history" class="author-writes-about-link">History</a>, <a href="/section/lists" class="author-writes-about-link">Lists</a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="primary-image">
<img src="http://mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_640x430/public/87641320.jpg" width="640" height="430" alt="" /> </div><div class="field-group-format group_image_credit field-group-div group-image-credit speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-text field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Image credit:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">ThinkStock</div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p dir="ltr"><span>You may have read about a </span><a href="http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/oath-to-queen-for-new-canadians-is-constitutional-court-rules-1.1463349"><span>recent ruling in Canada which stated it is constitutional to require would-be Canadians to take an oath to the Queen</span></a><span>. You may also have been surprised to learn Canada does, in fact, still have a queen, and she is the same Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ceylon, and Pakistan, among others. Here is a list of roles still served by Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom, Canada and Her other Realms and Territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.</span></p>
<p><strong>1.</strong> Technically speaking, <a href="http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/HowtheMonarchyworks/HowtheMonarchyworks.aspx" target="_blank">Queen Elizabeth is the Sovereign</a> of the parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy of Canada. Unless you frequently use Canadian money or are particularly savvy with regard to Canadian politics, you may not have known they had any kind of monarchy.</p>
<p><strong>2.</strong> All ministers, legislators, members of the armed forces, public servants, and police officers <a href="http://canadiancrown.gc.ca/eng/1331826436671/1335290506351" target="_blank">swear allegiance to the Queen</a>. Though the aforementioned court ruling is likely to be appealed, for the time being all new citizens swear allegiance to the Queen as well. All passports are likewise issued in the name of the Queen.</p>
<p><strong>3.</strong> Queen Elizabeth <a href="http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchAndCommonwealth/Canada/TheQueensroleinCanada.aspx" target="_blank">appoints a governor general</a> who acts at the federal level and subsequently appoints one lieutenant governor in each of Canada’s ten provinces. The Queen and the governor general make their appointments on the recommendation of Canada’s prime minister. The governor general and lieutenant governor serve as daily representatives of the Queen, and they also give honors and tributes to deserving recipients in her name.</p>
<p><strong>4.</strong> In the political world, the Queen really doesn’t do much—she’s not supposed to. Because she is considered to be the <a href="http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchAndCommonwealth/Canada/TheQueensroleinCanada.aspx" target="_blank">personification of the state of Canada</a>, she is <a href="http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/QueenandGovernment/QueenandPrimeMinister.aspx" target="_blank">meant to remain neutral</a> on all matters of politics.</p>
<p><strong>5.</strong> The Queen is a <a href="http://canadiancrown.gc.ca/eng/1331810132814" target="_blank">patron of a number of Canadian organizations</a>, including the Canadian Cancer Society, the Canadian Red Cross Society, and the Royal Canadian Humane Association. Her official website also states that Canada is the country she has visited most in her 60-plus year reign.</p>
<p><strong>6.</strong> Along with her representatives, Queen Elizabeth partakes in <a href="http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchAndCommonwealth/Canada/Symbolsandceremonies.aspx" target="_blank">various ceremonies and traditions</a> in Canada, including <a href="http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchAndCommonwealth/Canada/Royalvisits.aspx" target="_blank">frequent Royal Tours</a>. Most important anniversaries or celebrations are attended by the monarch herself, while other members of the royal family may attend lesser events in her place.</p>
<p><strong>7.</strong> The Queen <a href="http://canadiancrown.gc.ca/eng/1331810132814" target="_blank">acts as Colonel-in-Chief</a> of numerous Armed Forces regiments, such as the King’s Own Calgary Regiment and The Canadian Grenadier Guards. Like her other roles in Canada, this one is primarily symbolic and accompanying duties are normally carried out by the governor general.</p>
<p><strong>8.</strong> The prime minister and the ministers in his cabinet are all appointed by the governor general on behalf of Queen Elizabeth. (Usually, the governor general will appoint the leader of the party with the majority or large plurality.) The Queen makes an effort to keep <a href="http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/QueenandGovernment/QueenandPrimeMinister.aspx" target="_blank">up-to-date on parliamentary matters</a> with regular communications with ministers and meets with them when possible.</p>
<p><strong>9.</strong> The Queen must <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy_of_Canada" target="_blank">apply her royal sign-manual</a>, or signature, as well as the <a href="http://www.pch.gc.ca/eng/1363632655992/1363632732678" target="_blank">Great Seal of Canada</a> to patent letters, specific appointment papers of the governor general, the creation of additional Senate seats, and any change in her Canadian style and title.</p>
<p><strong>10.</strong> Along with the governor general, the monarch can grant immunity from prosecution and pardon any offenses against the Crown before, during, or after a trial.</p>
<p><strong><em>Additional Sources: </em></strong><em>Parliamentary Institutions [<a href="http://www.parl.gc.ca/MarleauMontpetit/DocumentViewer.aspx?DocId=1001&amp;Lang=E&amp;Print=2&amp;Sec=Ch01&amp;Seq=5" target="_blank">PDF</a>]; <a href="http://www.parl.gc.ca/About/Senate/Monarchy/SenMonarchy_00-e.htm" target="_blank">Canada, A Constitutional Monarchy</a>; <a href="http://www.pch.gc.ca/eng/1266245566496/1266202116409" target="_blank">Monarchy in Canada</a></em></p>
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<span class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">October 4, 2013 - 2:00pm</span></span>
</span>Fri, 04 Oct 2013 18:00:59 +0000Erin53036 at http://mentalfloss.com15 Temporarily Banned Episodes of Popular TV Showshttp://mentalfloss.com/article/33538/15-temporarily-banned-episodes-popular-tv-shows
<div class="field-group-format group_meta field-group-div group-meta speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-enhanced-authors field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/authors/kathleen-elise">Kathleen Elise</a></div></div></div><div class="field-group-format group_categories field-group-div group-categories categories speed-none effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-category-url field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">filed under: <a href="/section/lists" class="author-writes-about-link">Lists</a>, <a href="/section/pop-culture" class="author-writes-about-link">Pop Culture</a>, <a href="/section/tv" class="author-writes-about-link">tv</a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="primary-image">
<img src="http://mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_640x430/public/family-guy.jpg" width="640" height="430" alt="" /> </div><div class="field-group-format group_image_credit field-group-div group-image-credit speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-text field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Image credit:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Fox</div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Fox has <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2013/04/17/news/companies/family-guy-boston-marathon/index.html">removed from its website</a> a recent episode of <em>Family Guy</em> that showed mass deaths at the Boston Marathon. Over the years, a number of TV series have removed specific episodes from their rerun schedules. Some eventually return to the airwaves, while others may be serving a lifetime ban. Here are 15 examples.</p>
<h4>1. <em>Seinfeld</em>, “The Puerto Rican Day”</h4>
<h3>Controversy: Flag burning, negative portrayal of Puerto Ricans</h3>
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In this 1998 <em>Seinfeld</em> episode, an early escape from a Mets game leaves the troupe trapped in traffic among the celebrants of the annual Puerto Rican Day Parade. After accidentally lighting a Puerto Rican flag on fire with a sparkler, Kramer stomps on the blazing flag before being attacked by a mob of Puerto Ricans, who eventually throw Jerry's empty car down a stairwell.</p>
<p>The National Puerto Rican Coalition didn't think it was appropriate that the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/09/nyregion/nbc-apologizes-for-seinfeld-episode-on-the-puerto-rican-day-parade.html" target="_blank">flag was used as a prop at all</a>, and Bronx Borough president Ferndo Ferrer, who is Puerto Rican, objected both to the vandalizing of a car and Kramer's comment that it "happens every day in Puerto Rico."</p>
<p><span>NBC apologized for the episode, and t</span><span>hough it was only trumped in ratings by the series finale, "The Puerto Rican Day" wasn't included in initial syndication packages. By 2002, however, the episode had begun to appear in syndication on some networks.</span></p>
<h4>2. <em>Pokémon</em>, “Beauty and the Beach”</h4>
<h3>Controversy: Male with artificial breasts</h3>
<iframe src="http://www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/xljw04" frameborder="0" height="360" width="480"></iframe><p><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xljw04_pocket-monsters-018-beauty-and-the-beach-dub-eng_webcam" target="_blank">Pocket Monsters - 018 - Beauty And The Beach...</a> by <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/mralexz" target="_blank">mralexz</a></p>
<p>In “Beauty and the Beach,” Team Rocket enters a female beauty contest, during which James dons a suit with inflatable breasts—then teases Misty by blowing up his chest to twice its original size and showing it off. Unaired during the original American broadcast of the <em>Pokemon</em> series, “Beauty and the Beach” was promoted as a lost episode when it ran on Kids’ WB! in 2000. It was not included in the original American box set. When the episode aired in 2000, all scenes of James in a bikini—about 40 seconds total—were edited out.</p>
<h4></h4>
<h4>3.<em> <span>Pok</span><span>é</span><span>mon</span></em>, “Electric Soldier Porygon”</h4>
<h3>Controversy: May cause seizures</h3>
<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CTdJHysJpZI" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="420"></iframe><p>
“Electric Soldier Porygon” was broadcast once, in Japan on December 16, 1997. In this episode, Ash is required to go inside the poké ball machination to fix an error. When Pikachu shoots missiles with her Thunderbolt attack, a huge explosion creates red and blue lights that flash in a strobe light-like manner. Over 600 children were rushed to the hospital with “Pok<span>é</span>mon Shock,” complaining of symptoms that included blurred vision, headaches, and dizziness; some even reported seizures and blindness (150 kids were admitted; the others recovered en route). After the airing of “Electric Soldier Porygon,” the show immediately went on a four-month hiatus.</p>
<h4>4. <em>The X-Files</em>, “Home”</h4>
<h3>Controversy: Deformities, general disturbing of the psyche</h3>
<iframe src="http://www.hulu.com/embed.html?eid=u40zpbw2i_74bjgpchpbpg" allowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" webkitallowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="288" scrolling="no" width="512"></iframe><p>
<em><br /></em></p>
<p>Though <em>The X-Files</em> has never shied away from disturbing subject matter, there is something especially cringeworthy about the incestuous, deformed family in this episode. One sentence summary: quadruple amputee mother is caught breeding with her disfigured sons, thereby creating more disfigured children. Yup.</p>
<p>“Home” was viewed by 21 percent of households tuned to the tube when it aired in 1996. It was also the only episode of <em>The X-Files</em> banned from repetition on Fox. The fans wouldn’t take that, though, and in 1997, “Home” was voted the number one episode in a marathon on FX. Today, the episode is commonly regarded as one of the best of the series.</p>
<h4></h4>
<h4>5. <em>Gargoyles</em>, “Deadly Force”</h4>
<h3>Controversy: Gunplay</h3>
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While pretending to use a gun in “Deadly Force,” Broadway accidentally shoots Elisa and attempts to cover up his crime. Although this episode was initially pulled from the rerun cycle thanks to objections by advisory groups, it was eventually re-aired after editors removed some of the blood from Elisa’s shooting. It has since been added to the DVD collection.</p>
<h4>6. <em>Married…With Children</em>, “I’ll See You In Court”</h4>
<h3>Controversy: Too sexy</h3>
<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/61mDxCbGArM" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="420"></iframe><p>
This <em>Married…With Children</em> episode aired for the first time in the United States a full 13 years after it was originally taped. The plot follows Peggy and Al Bundy as they first find a sex tape of Steve and Marcy Rhoades at a nearby motel, and then as they have sex while they are being recorded on tape. Both couples set out to sue the motel for recording them without their knowledge. The Rhoades are awarded $10,000, but the jury finds there is not enough proof the Bundys actually had sex. (Their video was much shorter than that of the Rhoades.) When they find themselves alone in the courtroom, the Bundys proceed to have sex in the courthouse … without realizing they are, again, caught on film.</p>
<p>American censors pulled “I’ll See You In Court” before it could ever air, though the episode did premiere in the rest of the world. In 2002, FX ran it for the first time in the US—though still not in its entirety, as the network redacted four especially raunchy lines.</p>
<h4>7. <em>TaleSpin</em>, “Flying Dupes”</h4>
<h3>Controversy: Terrorism</h3>
<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/AGaumkSwLUI" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="420"></iframe><p>
Also the last episode in the series, “Flying Dupes” was immediately pulled after its initial airing. <span>The main plot surrounds Baloo, who is unknowingly transporting a bomb on the instruction of an arms factory that wishes to create a war between two countries, Thembria and Cape Suzette. <span> The episode was shown again on independent stations (and </span></span>once on Toon Disney in 1999, presumably by accident). </p>
<h4></h4>
<h4>8. <em>The Simpsons</em>, “The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson”</h4>
<h3>Controversy: Taking place near Ground Zero</h3>
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After Barney gets the Simpsons' car stranded in New York City, Homer and family must travel there to retrieve it. There are horrible drivers, a wonderful khlav kalash street vendor, and a hilariously frustrating attempt by Homer to find a bathroom within the World Trade Center.</p>
<p>But its inclusion of the WTC meant four years after its original airing, the episode would be pulled for years. It seems the networks are starting to realize we can handle it, though, and the episode has now worked its way back into syndication.</p>
<h4>9. <em>The Twilight Zone</em>, “The Encounter”</h4>
<h3>Controversy: Racism</h3>
<p><embed class="xj_video_embed" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="http://static.ning.com/socialnetworkmain/widgets/video/flvplayer/flvplayer.swf?xn_version=3704000907" wmode="opaque" flashvars="config=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.trekspace.org%2Fvideo%2Fvideo%2FshowPlayerConfig%3Fid%3D1977635%253AVideo%253A106873%26ck%3D-&amp;video_smoothing=on&amp;autoplay=off&amp;hideShareLink=1&amp;isEmbedCode=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" scale="noscale" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="340" width="456"></embed><br /><a href="http://www.trekspace.org/video/video">Find more videos like this on <em>TREKSPACE</em></a></p>
<p>An American World War II veteran encounters the Japanese-American George Takei in this 1964 <em>Twilight Zone</em> episode. Japanese-Americans lodged complaints after the episode’s official airing, which included slurs like “You dirty little Jap!” Like other banned episodes, this one was omitted from American syndication, but it aired without event in other countries. Today, it is included in DVD sets and on Netflix.</p>
<h4>10. <em>Ren &amp; Stimpy</em>, “Man’s Best Friend”</h4>
<h3>Controversy: Dog-on-man violence</h3>
<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XP7mmtkUonc" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="420"></iframe><p>
<em>Ren &amp; Stimpy</em> is, as a general rule, pretty gross. Though boogers and idiocy never seemed to be a problem with the censors, Ren beating up his new owner with an oar was apparently enough to get this episode yanked off the air for 11 years.</p>
<h4>11. <em>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</em>, “Earshot”</h4>
<h3>Controversy: School violence</h3>
<iframe src="http://www.hulu.com/embed.html?eid=3odich1okwhnb0poaet6dw" allowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" webkitallowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="288" scrolling="no" width="512"></iframe><p>
Sometimes, television shows are guilty of nothing more than bad timing. In this episode of <em>Buffy</em>, a student is seen loading a gun. When you keep watching, of course, you realize along with the characters that the student, Jonathan, is not loading his rifle to shoot other students, but to kill himself. “Earshot” was originally scheduled to air a week after the shooting at Columbine High School took place, but in the aftermath, the WB decided to just run an old episode of Bad Girls. “Earshot” did not air on American television until five months later.</p>
<h4>12. <em>Tiny Toon Adventures</em>, “One Beer”</h4>
<h3>Controversy: Underage drinking, DUI, death</h3>
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In this episode, the three main characters—all of whom are underage—somehow manage to get more drunk off of one beer than I have in my entire adult drinking life. Buster, Plucky, and Hamton then proceed to steal a police car and drive off a cliff while running from the cops. Landing in a cemetery, we then see the souls of the newly deceased boys rise up to heaven.</p>
<p>Of course, in the last seconds of the episode, the boys come out to say they are alive and well, and they explain they put you through the horror of the episode just so you could see why drinking is uncool. The episode was too much for the U.S., but has re-aired in Canada.</p>
<h4>13, 14, and 15. <em>Boy Meets World</em>, “Prom-ises, Prom-ises,” “The Truth About Honesty,” and “If You Can’t Be With the One You Love…”</h4>
<h3>Controversy: Teenagers want to have sex</h3>
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<em>Boy Meets World</em> tackled a number of serious issues and had plenty of hard-hitting moments (oh, Shawn! Your dad!), but for some reason—and usually, that reason was sex—three particular episodes were singled out and never replayed on the Disney Channel after the show’s initial run. In “Prom-ises, Prom-ises,” Cory and Topanga contemplate losing their virginity on prom night; in “The Truth About Honesty,” sex is likewise the culprit; and in “If You Can’t Be With the One You Love…” underage drinking earned the ax. All three episodes were included in reruns on ABC Family and MTV2.</p>
<p><em>Note: This article originally appeared in January and was updated April 17.</em></p>
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<span class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">April 17, 2013 - 11:01am</span></span>
</span>Thu, 24 Jan 2013 17:01:57 +0000dennisusdev33538 at http://mentalfloss.comWhere Are These 12 Boy Bands Now?http://mentalfloss.com/article/31864/where-are-these-12-boy-bands-now
<div class="field-group-format group_meta field-group-div group-meta speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-enhanced-authors field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/authors/kathleen-elise">Kathleen Elise</a></div></div></div><div class="field-group-format group_categories field-group-div group-categories categories speed-none effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-category-url field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">filed under: <a href="/section/music" class="author-writes-about-link">music</a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="primary-image">
<img src="http://mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_640x430/public/new-edition_4.jpg" width="640" height="430" alt="" /> </div><div class="field-group-format group_image_credit field-group-div group-image-credit speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-text field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Image credit:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Getty Images</div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Groups like One Direction, The Wanted, and Big Time Rush are keeping the legacy of boy bands alive, but lest we forget the previous generation of singing boys who captured our hearts, here's a look at what the boy bands of yesteryear are up to these days. (In keeping with this spirit, this piece was written while listening exclusively to the Backstreet Boys.)</p>
<h4>1. New Edition (1978)</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/new-edition.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Harbingers of the boy bands to come, New Edition has stayed largely silent in the past few years. After the 2004 release of <em>One Love</em>, the group has performed sporadically at awards shows and music festivals. They are scheduled to release a comeback album, though no official date has been announced.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/155925168.jpg"><img src="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/155925168-565x376.jpg" alt="" title="Soul Train Awards 2012 - Show" width="565" height="376" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-154738" /></a><br /><em></em></p>
<h4>2. New Kids On the Block (1984)</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/nkotb.jpg"><img src="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/nkotb.jpg" alt="" title="nkotb" width="500" height="400" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-154740" /></a></p>
<p>Making the dreams of countless teenaged girls come true, in 2011 New Kids On the Block joined forces with the Backstreet Boys to tour as a super boy band, NKOTBSB. They released one self-titled album that featured songs from each individual group as well as joint recordings like “Don’t Turn Out the Lights.” The supergroup consisted of all members of both groups, save for Kevin Richardson of BSB and NKOTB’s Mark Wahlberg and Jamie Kelly, who left the group in the 1980s.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/81583310.jpg"><img src="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/81583310-565x395.jpg" alt="" title="The 2008 MuchMusic Video Awards" width="565" height="395" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-154739" /></a><br /><em>Getty Images</em></p>
<h4>3. Boyz II Men (1988)</h4>
<!--more--><p><a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Boyz+II+Men.jpg"><img src="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Boyz+II+Men.jpg" alt="" title="Boyz+II+Men" width="500" height="402" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-154743" /></a></p>
<p>After losing Michael McCary in 2003 due to his severe scoliosis, Boyz II Men continued as a threesome, releasing several albums including the cover albums <em>Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA </em>and <em>Love</em>. The group celebrated their 20th anniversary last year in style, cruising from Miami to the Bahamas and releasing <em>Twenty</em>, a two-CD album with a mix of original and rerecorded Boyz II Men songs.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/140031106.jpg"><img src="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/140031106-565x376.jpg" alt="" title="20th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation's Oscar Viewing Party - Arrivals" width="565" height="376" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-154744" /></a><br /><em>Getty Images</em></p>
<h4>4. Take That (1990)</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/take-that.jpg"><img src="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/take-that.jpg" alt="" title="take that" width="468" height="329" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-154745" /></a></p>
<p>Following Robbie Williams’ return to Take That in 2010, the group’s <em>Progress</em> album broke records, becoming the fastest-selling album of the past century with 235,000 records selling on release day alone. They recorded the official single of the film <em>X-Men: First Class</em> in 2011, all while members pursued individual careers simultaneously. Gary Barlow spent two years judging on <em>The X Factor</em>, while Robbie Williams continued recording solo material. In 2012, Take That performed at the closing ceremonies of the Olympics, though Williams was not present as he was attending the birth of his daughter. Word on the street is that the band is working on a new record for 2013.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/109285471.jpg"><img src="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/109285471-565x375.jpg" alt="" title="Sanremo 2011 - The 61st Italian Song Festival: February 18, 2011" width="565" height="375" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-154746" /></a><br /><em>Getty Images</em></p>
<h4>5. Hanson (1992)</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/1145526.jpg"><img src="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/1145526.jpg" alt="" title="7198hanson22_20010627_33661.jpg" width="560" height="351" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-154750" /></a><br /><em>Getty Images</em></p>
<p>Fifteen years after the release of “MMMBop,” the Hanson brothers are still making music and touring, most notably with Carly Rae Jepsen in 2012. They were also featured in the music video for Katy Perry’s “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.),” keeping an impressive schedule for brothers who, between them, now have nine children of their own.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/129991011.jpg"><img src="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/129991011-565x378.jpg" alt="" title="VH1 Save The Music Foundation Presents: Family Day" width="565" height="378" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-154749" /></a><br /><em>Getty Images</em></p>
<h4>6. soulDecision (1993)</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Souldecision_3.jpg"><img src="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Souldecision_3.jpg" alt="" title="Souldecision_3" width="560" height="372" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-154752" /></a><br />
Notable for receiving top 40 airplay before signing a record deal, soulDecision have all but disappeared into obscurity with other groups featured on <em>Now That’s What I Call Music! 5</em>. Their song on the compilation, “Faded,” was also the charting single of their album <em>No One Does It Better</em>. After opening for Christina Aguilera and *NSYNC, they released a second album, after which David Bowman, and then Trevor Guthrie, left the group. They have remained inactive since.</p>
<h4>7. Backstreet Boys (1993)</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/1140440.jpg"><img src="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/1140440.jpg" alt="" title="197backstree_20010626_09890.jpg" width="560" height="400" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-154753" /></a><br /><em>Getty Images</em></p>
<p>Though they allegedly prefer the term “vocal harmony group” to boy band, the Backstreet Boys remain the epitome of boy band goodness to countless girls who were in the third grade in 1998. Thankfully, they have managed to stretch their career successfully over the past two decades. BSB released <em>Never Gone</em> in 2005, after which Kevin Richardson left the group amicably and the four remaining members put out <em>Unbreakable</em>, which debuted in the top ten of the Billboard charts in 2007, as did 2009’s <em>This Is Us</em>. In 2012, BSB announced that Richardson rejoined the group and the five would be releasing their eighth album in 2013. “It’s Christmas Time Again,” the first song to feature all five members since 2006, was released last month.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/151994651.jpg"><img src="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/151994651-565x399.jpg" alt="" title="Old Navy &quot;Rockstar Fashion Show&quot;" width="565" height="399" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-154754" /></a><br /><em>Getty Images</em></p>
<h4>8. *NSYNC (1995)</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2222343.jpg"><img src="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2222343.jpg" alt="" title="1998 Billboard Music Awards" width="472" height="315" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-154755" /></a></p>
<p><em>Getty Images</em></p>
<p>*NSYNC played their last televised performance in 2003, performing a tribute to the Bee Gees at the Grammy Awards, and they made their last public performance in 2004. In his 2007 autobiography, Lance Bass cited Justin Timberlake’s solo career as the main catalyst behind the band’s demise, though they never officially announced a breakup. Comments on the band’s potential reunion from JC Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick and Joey Fatone remain mixed. You can catch JT every once in a while on <em>Saturday Night Live</em>, in the movies, or trying to revamp MySpace.</p>
<h4>9. 98 Degrees (1996)</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/8495181.jpg"><img src="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/8495181.jpg" alt="" title="10/17/98 Los Angeles, Ca 98 degrees at the &quot;Big Help-A-Thon 5." width="560" height="362" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-154771" /></a><br /><em>Getty Images</em></p>
<p>The guys who gave us “Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)” went on hiatus in 2002, after which, you no doubt recall, Nick Lachey married and starred in a reality TV series with Jessica Simpson. Response to rumors of a reunion between the members has been skeptical, but the band performed together twice in the past year, and reportedly they have been working on a new album—their first in 12 years.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/150420299.jpg"><img src="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/150420299-565x410.jpg" alt="" title="98 Degrees Performs On NBC's &quot;Today&quot;" width="565" height="410" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-154757" /></a><br /><em>Getty Images</em></p>
<h4>10. Dream Street (1999)</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2242202.jpg"><img src="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2242202.jpg" alt="" title="Z100's Zootopia 2001" width="472" height="315" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-154760" /></a></p>
<p><em>Getty Images</em></p>
<p>The Dream Street boys broke up in 2002—and they are probably the only boy band to be disbanded by judicial decision. After a legal disagreement between their managers and their parents (which the parents lost), the boys were instructed to break up. Jesse McCartney has seen the most post-breakup success with three top ten singles and acting credits on <em>Law &amp; Order: Special Victims Unit, Summerland,</em> and the movie <em>Chernobyl Diaries</em>.</p>
<h4>11. O-Town (2000)</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/815538.jpg"><img src="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/815538-565x352.jpg" alt="" title="0-Town Attends YM Magazine Party In New York City" width="565" height="352" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-154761" /></a><br /><em>Getty Images</em></p>
<p>Like One Direction, O-Town was formed during a reality show. Arising out of MTV’s <em>Making the Band</em> in 2000, the band broke up only three years later. Though several members moved on to solo careers, Ashley Parker Angel probably stayed most in the limelight with a reality TV show, a solo album, and a run as Link Larkin in the Broadway production of <em>Hairspray</em>. Rumors of the band reuniting sans-Angel surfaced in 2011, but thus far no album releases have been planned.</p>
<h4>12. B2K (2001)</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2289199.jpg"><img src="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2289199.jpg" alt="" title="MTV TRL: Jennifer Lopez &amp; B2K" width="472" height="316" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-154762" /></a></p>
<p><em>Getty Images</em></p>
<p>After their four releases between 2002 and 2003, B2K all but disappeared. Lil’ Fizz and J-Boog launched a record label, Popular Entertainment, and J-Boog starred in <em>You Got Served</em> with Omarion. Omarion has continued to work on Rick Ross’ label Maybach Music Group. Raz B has reportedly written a memoir amid a stir of controversy, as it alleges molestation and homosexual acts by several prominent members of the rap community.</p>
<blockquote><p>For 12-12-12, we’ll be posting twenty-four '12 lists' throughout the day. Check back 12 minutes after every hour for the latest installment, or see them all <a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/category/121212">here</a>.</p>
</blockquote>
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<span class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">December 11, 2012 - 10:12pm</span></span>
</span>Wed, 12 Dec 2012 08:12:27 +0000Kathleen Elise31864 at http://mentalfloss.com19 Confounding Discrepancies Between American English and British Englishhttp://mentalfloss.com/article/12843/19-confounding-discrepancies-between-american-english-and-british-english
<div class="field-group-format group_meta field-group-div group-meta speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-enhanced-authors field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/authors/kathleen-elise">Kathleen Elise</a></div></div></div><div class="field-group-format group_categories field-group-div group-categories categories speed-none effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-category-url field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">filed under: <a href="/section/linguistics" class="author-writes-about-link">linguistics</a>, <a href="/section/vocab-rehab" class="author-writes-about-link">Vocab Rehab</a>, <a href="/section/words" class="author-writes-about-link">Words</a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="primary-image">
<img src="http://mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_640x430/public/71220531_6.jpg" width="640" height="430" alt="" /> </div><div class="field-group-format group_image_credit field-group-div group-image-credit speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-text field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Image credit:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Getty Images</div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>As a lifelong Anglophile and a recent newcomer to London, I can understand America’s burgeoning love affair with British English. But even with the spike in usage of Britishisms, there are still a number of words and phrases that can baffle even the most pretentious BBC America fans. Next time you’re in London, keep these translations to hand—or as the Yanks would say, nearby—and you’ll be just fine.</p>
<p>1. <strong>Knock up:</strong> To wake up. Don’t freak out if your flatmate says he will be sure to knock you up in the morning.</p>
<p>2. <strong>Pants:</strong> Underwear. Be careful not to compliment your friend’s new pants, or she will be very confused. Trousers or slacks are what you wear over your pants.</p>
<p>3. <strong>Take the piss:</strong> To take advantage of; to ridicule. This is one of the more unattractive British phrases that show up frequently in conversation.</p>
<p>4. <strong>Bum bag:</strong> Fanny pack. For your own sake, don’t say “fanny pack.” (Come to think of it, don’t say “fanny” at all.)</p>
<!--more--><p>5. <strong>Poncy:</strong> An especially negative version of the word “posh.”</p>
<p>6. <strong>Plaster:</strong> A band-aid.</p>
<p>7. <strong>Whinge:</strong> To whine.</p>
<p>8. <strong>Cash point:</strong> An ATM.</p>
<p>9. <strong>Car park:</strong> Though it sounds more like an auto show, it’s just a parking lot.</p>
<p>10. <strong>Garden:</strong> Backyard. A front yard or lawn is referred to as the front garden.</p>
<p>11. <strong>Accident and Emergency:</strong> An emergency room or trauma center; commonly referred to as the “A&amp;E.”</p>
<p>12. <strong>Pot:</strong> Carton or container, as in, “I had a yoghurt pot for breakfast.”</p>
<p>13. <strong>Sex pest: </strong>Though it sounds like some unpleasant disease, a sex pest is more akin to a sexual predator or someone who sexually harasses others.</p>
<p>14. <strong>Sign on:</strong> It has nothing to do with AOL—it actually means to sign up for welfare.</p>
<p>15. <strong>The dog’s bollocks:</strong> If something is the dog’s bollocks, it is excellent.</p>
<p>16. <strong>Tramp: </strong>Homeless person. You can still get upset if someone says you dress like a tramp; you’ll just be upset for a different reason.</p>
<p>17. <strong>Rude boy:</strong> Thug or delinquent. A rude boy in England probably has no special affinity for ska music, unlike the rude boys in the U.S. and Jamaica.</p>
<p>18. <strong>Jumper:</strong> Sweater or pullover.</p>
<p>19. <strong>Mucky pup: </strong>Messy person.</p>
<p><em>Kathleen Elise is a graduate student at University College London.<a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/tag/college-weekend">.</a></em></p>
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<span class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">October 26, 2012 - 5:30pm</span></span>
</span>Sat, 27 Oct 2012 01:30:48 +0000Kathleen Elise12843 at http://mentalfloss.com11 Debut Films of Famous Directorshttp://mentalfloss.com/article/53035/11-debut-films-famous-directors
<div class="field-group-format group_meta field-group-div group-meta speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-enhanced-authors field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/authors/kathleen-elise">Kathleen Elise</a></div></div></div><div class="field-group-format group_categories field-group-div group-categories categories speed-none effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-category-url field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">filed under: <a href="/section/lists" class="author-writes-about-link">Lists</a>, <a href="/section/movies" class="author-writes-about-link">Movies</a>, <a href="/section/pop-culture" class="author-writes-about-link">Pop Culture</a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="primary-image">
<img src="http://mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_640x430/public/95837066.jpg" width="640" height="430" alt="" /> </div><div class="field-group-format group_image_credit field-group-div group-image-credit speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-text field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Image credit:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Getty Images</div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Even the most cinematically inclined of us may not have heard of the debut films of some of today’s most well-known directors. Before <em>Jaws, Lord of the Rings</em><span>, and </span><em>Star Wars</em><span>, these highly regarded directors made some films that don’t always fit in with the content or caliber of their later works. Read on to learn about the science fiction films, questionable sequels, and made-for-TV movies that paved the way for some of the most successful directors of the past hundred years.</span></p>
<h4><span>1. Steven Spielberg, </span><em>Duel </em><span>(1971)</span></h4>
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While Spielberg had directed several episodes of popular TV shows in the late ‘60s and very early ‘70s (and made a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firelight_(1964_film)" target="_blank">movie called <em>Firelight</em></a> for just $500 when he was 18), <em>Duel</em> was his first standalone feature-length film. Though it was broadcast as a TV movie in the United States, this story of a murderous truck received a theatrical release in Europe. The entire film consists of the Peterbilt 281 tanker, whose driver is never fully in view, attempting to run a terrified traveling salesman off the road. Though the salesman gets the upper hand in the end, he never does figure out the story behind the driver (truck?) who was to determined to see him dead. It’s safe to say he didn’t risk cutting anyone off for a long time afterward.</p>
<h4>2. Peter Jackson, <em>Bad Taste</em><span> (1987)</span></h4>
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Like Jackson’s other splatter horror comedy <em>Braindead</em><span> (or </span><em>Dead Alive,</em><span> if you’re watching it in North America), </span><em>Bad Taste </em><span>is not for the faint of heart—or stomach. This alien invasion movie features lots of alien-on-human eating, human-on-alien eating, and general guts and gore that led to numerous cut versions of the film being played in various countries. Over the years, </span><em>Bad Taste</em><span> has become a cult film of sorts, which is an achievement in and of itself considering the low budget used to produce the film and the fact that most roles were played by Jackson and his friends.</span></p>
<h4>3. Danny Boyle, <em>Shallow Grave</em><span> (1994)</span></h4>
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Boyle, who would go on to direct such popular movies as <em>Trainspotting, 28 Days Later</em><span>, and </span><em>Slumdog Millionaire</em><span>, began his directorial work—and his professional relationship with Ewan McGregor—with this dark comedy. A tale of friendship, betrayal, money, and murder, </span><em>Shallow Grave</em><span> helped launch the careers of McGregor and Christopher Eccleston, who would go on to play the ninth incarnation of the Doctor in </span><em>Doctor Who</em><span>.</span></p>
<h4>4. Cecil B. DeMille, <em>The Squaw Man </em><span>(1914)</span></h4>
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This silent western movie adapted from the play of the same name was DeMille’s first attempt at directing and producing. It holds the distinction of being the first feature-length film made in Hollywood, save for harbor scenes and a few others requiring varied landscapes. DeMille must have harbored an affection for <em>The Squaw Man</em><span> as he went on to film it twice more in the form of a 1918 silent remake and a 1931 talkie.</span></p>
<h4>5. Stanley Kubrick, <em>Fear and Desire</em><span> (1953)</span></h4>
<iframe width="620" height="349" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/6dNdAIU3dC0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><p>Kubrick’s first feature film came two years after he directed documentaries on Irish-American boxer Walter Cartier and New Mexican priest Father Fred Stadtmuller. <em>Fear and Desire</em><span> exudes an air of ambiguity throughout as it follows a group of soldiers, one of whom is clearly unstable, in a war between two unnamed countries. With a budget of $10,000 largely raised by family and friends, the film was lauded as a success—though not a financial one. After its initial showings, Kubrick tried to prevent it from being seen again, going so far as to call the film “a bumbling amateur film exercise.”</span></p>
<h4>6. Francis Ford Coppola, <em>Dementia 13</em><span> (1963)</span></h4>
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Known in the United Kingdom as <em>The Haunted and the Hunted</em><span>, </span><em>Dementia 13</em><span> was Coppola’s first mainstream directorial attempt after working on several nude films. Producer Roger Corman initially brought in Coppola to make a gothic </span><em>Psycho</em><span>-esque movie, but during production stages the two disagreed so violently as to lead Corman to bring in another director to shoot additional scenes. Upon release, the film received mixed reviews and currently has 65 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Not bad for a cheap remake about a murderous lunatic.</span></p>
<h4>7. James Cameron, <span><em>Piranha II: The Spawning</em> </span><span>(1981)</span></h4>
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Cameron has come quite a long way in the visual effects department since his debut. <span><em>Piranha II</em>, </span><span>also known as </span><em>Flying Killers</em><span>,</span><span> </span><span>is the story of a school of piranha living in the wreckage of a ship in the Caribbean. The movie is exactly what you’d expect a sequel of the original </span><em>Piranha</em><span> to be: namely, man-eating, flying fish killing lots of people.</span></p>
<h4>8. George Lucas, <span><em>THX 1138</em> </span><span>(1971)</span></h4>
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Rising from the ashes of his 1967 student film <em><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PAePOxImiM" target="_blank">Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB</a></em><span>, this film depicts a world in which drugs are mandatory, sex is banned, and the few who rebel are sent to a limbo-like prison even fewer attempt to escape. The film currently holds a rating on Rotten Tomatoes of 90 percent—higher than all but two of the </span><span>Star Wars</span><span> movies.</span></p>
<h4>9. John Carpenter, <em>Dark Star </em><span>(1974)</span></h4>
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Described by Carpenter as “<em>Waiting for Godot</em><span> in space,” </span><em>Dark Star </em><span>is a dark science fiction comedy surrounding a bored crew’s travels through space. Most of the film consists of the crew members’ attempts to fill their time with stargazing, target practice, making music, or chasing a small alien around the ship. (Interestingly enough, this alien would later be the inspiration for the much more frightening one in Ridley Scott’s </span><em>Alien</em><span>, which was written by Carpenter’s co-writer, Dan O’Bannon.) </span><em>Dark Star</em><span> ends in a kind of philosophical tailspin. Note: Don’t teach Cartesian doubt to sentient bombs.</span></p>
<h4>10. Ridley Scott, <em>The Duellists </em><span>(1977)</span></h4>
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This movie, which won the Best Debut Film award at the 1977 Cannes Film Festival, could not have been more different from the movies for which Scott is most famous. It is based on Joseph Conrad’s short story <em>The Duel</em><span>, and it features Harvey Keitel and Keith Carradine as enemies in Strasbourg in the early 1800s. Praised for its historical accuracy, </span><em>The Duellists </em><span>marked the beginning of a varied and successful career for Scott, who would go on to make the aforementioned </span><em>Alien</em><span> as well as </span><em>Thelma &amp; Louise, Blade Runner</em><span>, and </span><em>Black Hawk Down</em><span>.</span></p>
<h4>11. Christopher Nolan, <em>Following </em><span>(1998)</span></h4>
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Like others on this list, Nolan was working on an extremely short budget with his first film. He paid for the 16mm film out of his own pocket, and he insisted on extensively rehearsed scenes so as to not require numerous takes. Additionally, he largely eschewed professional film lighting in favor of whatever light was readily available. The <a href="http://mentalfloss.com/article/31628/director-christopher-nolan-discusses-making-his-first-film-following" target="_blank">black-and-white movie</a> involves a young writer who makes a habit of following strangers, only to one day become engrossed in following a man who ends up confronting him. Seduced by this man’s dangerous lifestyle, the protagonist turns to a life of crime that ultimately derails and leaves him the victim of his fellow thieves’ manipulation.</p>
</div></div></div>Tue, 22 Oct 2013 21:00:04 +0000Erin53035 at http://mentalfloss.com